Henson disappointment at being named midweek
Gavin Henson finds himself in a familiar position as the centre of attention today, but for all the wrong reasons.
The Wales Grand Slam star had been widely tipped for a Test midfield berth against New Zealand in Christchurch next Saturday.
But with Lions head coach Clive Woodward opting for Jonny Wilkinson or Will Greenwood as skipper Brian O’Driscoll’s centre partner instead, Henson is unexpectedly on midweek team duty at the most southern outpost in New Zealand rugby.
Rugby Park, Invercargill would not have been on Henson’s pre-tour agenda this week, and the 23-year-old admitted he was “absolutely devastated” at being overlooked by Woodward.
Henson also claims he has “a point to prove”, gearing himself up to face, on paper, the Lions’ weakest tour opponents so far.
He lines up in a team that also includes Wales colleague Gareth Cooper, making his first start of the 11-match trip, while England wing Mark Cueto reappears almost three weeks after a try-scoring display against Bay of Plenty.
Number eight Michael Owen captains the Lions, but there are other players sharing Henson’s acute sense of disappointment, including full-back Geordan Murphy and flanker Martyn Williams, while in-form back-row man Simon Easterby is on the bench.
Woodward, who will announce his Test line-up tomorrow, has already confirmed none of the Lions 22 involved today will feature against the All Blacks later this week.
Southland, meanwhile, include former All Blacks pair Jimmy Cowan and Paul Miller, with centre Faolua Muliaina – brother of All Blacks ace Mils – featuring in midfield opposite Henson.
The Lions averaged 30 points a time in defeating Southland on their last four New Zealand tours, and they are expected to maintain that record on a firm pitch in front of a capacity 17,000 crowd.
Southland: Wilson, Harrison, Milne, Muliaina, W. Lotawa, Apanui, Cowan, Dempsey, Rutledge, Dermody, McDonald, Quate, Tamariki, T-Pole, Miller. Replacements: Murch, Hall, Logan, Wright, Clarke, Petre, Te Whare.
British & Irish Lions: Murphy, Cueto, Smith, Henson, Hickie, O’Gara, Cooper, Hayes, Titterrell, Stevens, Shaw, O’Callaghan, Moody, M. Williams, Owen. Replacements: Bulloch, Sheridan, Easterby, Cusiter, Hodgson, Shanklin, D’Arcy.
Referee: Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand).
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